Hot ≠ Safe: Beware of the Sexual Halo Effect
How cognitive bias can affect our judgment in bed
You may have heard of the so-called halo effect, also referred to as the physical-attractiveness-stereotype, and the what-is-beautiful-is-also-good principle. Coined by psychologist Edward Thorndike in a 1920s paper titled The Constant Error in Psychological Ratings, the halo effect is the idea that having positive impressions of a person or company in one area will positively influence our feelings and opinions of them in another.
In commerce, it means that if a customer trusts a brand and likes their current products, they’re more likely to buy into new products launched by the same brand—without much question and hesitation.
It applies to the people in our lives. When we perceive someone to be good, honest, and decent, we expect more of that behavior and are less likely to believe negative things about them. Further, we’re more inclined to perceive someone as good, capable, or intelligent when we also find them attractive.
The halo effect is one of the reasons why we’re told that first impressions matter and that we only have one chance to make a good one. It’s why we dress up and groom for job interviews and first dates. Whether conscious or not, we want to put our best foot forward first, knowing that…
